HOLLYWEED ITS A MOVEMENT

‘The Studio’ Shines: Seth Rogen’s Mushroom-Fueled Comedy Scores 23 Emmy Nominations

John Hartley

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s Apple TV+ comedy The Studio is no longer just another Hollywood satire it’s a full-blown awards juggernaut. Thanks to its trippy, mushroom-fueled two-part finale “CinemaCon,” the freshman series racked up a staggering 23 Emmy nominations, announced July 15, putting it squarely in the race for television’s top honors come September 14.

Rogen, who stars as Matt Remick, the newly minted head of fictional Continental Studios, leads an ensemble that has become one of the season’s most celebrated. Bryan Cranston, Kathryn Hahn, Catherine O’Hara, and Ike Barinholtz all earned acting nods, with Chase Sui Wonders rounding out the regular cast. Guest stars weren’t left out either Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Anthony Mackie, and Dave Franco each snagged nominations for playing heightened versions of themselves. Zoë Kravitz, who stole scenes in the double-episode finale, also earned recognition.

The show’s success stretches beyond its cast. The Studio is in contention for Outstanding Comedy Series, as well as awards in directing, writing, production design, casting, music supervision, costumes, sound, and editing. The nominations underscore how the series has become a creative playground for both comedy and craft.

At the heart of it all is that daring finale equal parts psychedelic romp and Hollywood satire that cemented the series as a must-watch. With 23 shots at gold, The Studio is no longer the scrappy rookie. It’s positioned as the Emmy season’s breakout, joining the ranks of Apple’s other powerhouse contenders like Shrinking and HBO’s Hacks.

For Rogen, who’s spent much of his career being typecast as Hollywood’s favorite stoner, the Emmy recognition marks a new high one where the jokes land, the mushrooms kick in, and the industry takes notice.